If Any Coaching Changes Occur, They’ll Likely Happen This Week

IRVING, Texas - The regular season has been over for more than two weeks now.

Since the end of the Cowboys’ rather familiar 8-8 finish, only a couple of changes have occurred on the coaching staff. One of which was the announcement Chris Boniol won’t be renewed as the kicking coach as the two sides have decided to mutually part ways.

The other was even more under the radar as coaching assistant Mikal Smith, who was the team for only one season, left to join his father Lovie Smith in Tampa Bay.

So that’s the only things going on with the coaching staff … for now.

If there will be any changes, they could occur this week, however. The Cowboys will be sending coaches, scouts and front-office personnel to Mobile, Ala. this weekend for the Senior Bowl practices next week. Typically, the Senior Bowl is the cutoff to make decisions on coaches and whether or not they’ll be returning. It doesn’t mean all positions will be filled, but if a coach is sent to Mobile, usually it means he will return for the next season.

Obviously there have been numerous questions concerning the Cowboys’ two coordinators, especially defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. The Cowboys had the worst statistical season in franchise history last year on defense, yielding 6,645 yards, nearly 1,000 yards more than the next-highest season total. Kiffin brought over the 4-3 defense and Tampa 2 scheme, but couldn’t overcome the rash of injuries that occurred, especially on the defensive line. Overall, the Cowboys played 21 different defensive linemen throughout the 16-game schedule. And that didn’t include Jay Ratliff, Ben Bass and Tyrone Crawford, who all went to training camp and were expected to be contributors and/or starters.

On offense, Bill Callahan spent his first season as the play-caller, along with his duties as the offensive line coach. The offense ranked right in the middle of the pack, finishing 16th in yards. Read